Students

Drashti Amin is a master’s student at the Nelson Institute of Environmental Studies. As a graduate researcher working with Prof. Tracey Holloway, her work is focused on enhancing the understanding of pollutant exposure for public health assessments by utilizing a combination of methods such as satellite data and air quality models. Besides completing a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering in India, Drashti has previously worked on a diverse array of subjects such as air quality and carbon capture & storage.

Louise Ferris is a master’s student in the Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics department. She works as a researcher under Dr. Stephanie Diem on the Pegasus-III Experiment, a fusion science research device. In this role, she works to analyze and understand high temperature magnetically confined plasmas. Louise graduated from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA, with degrees in Physics and Spanish in 2021. Her interests range from nuclear specific policy to general science policy, with a particular fondness for science diplomacy. She is also from Philadelphia, and loves the Philadelphia Eagles. Go birds.

Jerrold Acdan is a graduate student in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences. As a member of the Pierce Research Group, he investigates the formation, spatial distribution, and transport of air pollutants using satellite retrievals, field campaign data, and atmospheric chemistry models. Through the EAP program, Jerrold is excited to learn about the energy sector and its impacts on climate and air quality. Before coming to UW-Madison, he received a B.A. in Chemistry and Geography from UC Berkeley in 2017 and worked as a Project Coordination Fellow for the NASA DEVELOP National Program.

Eri R. Amezcua is a Mechanical Engineering PhD Student at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Eri is part of the Wisconsin Engine Research Center, and he is an ARL CUP Fellow. For his undergraduate career, Eri attended the University of Texas Tech earning the degrees of B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and Petroleum Engineering. He earned his M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering in the spring of 2019 at University of Wisconsin–Madison. Eri was awarded the EAP International Student Scholarship in 2018.

Abdullahi Bihi is an M.S. student in Urban and Regional Planning and is pursuing an Energy Analysis and Policy certificate. His research interest focuses on climate action planning and sustainable transportation energy. He works with real-world data to analyze policies, programs, and plans to reduce greenhouse emissions from travel, as well as the potential health and well-being co-benefits of sustainable transportation interventions. He graduated from Hanyang University in South Korea in 2016 with a degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering. Bihi was awarded the EAP Student Scholarship in 2021.

Matilyn Bindl is an MS student in the Nelson Institute’s Environment and Resources program, where she is excited to pursue her PhD in energy and climate policy under the guidance of Dr. Morgan Edwards of the La Follette School of Public Affairs. Matilyn graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2019 with her BS in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences. During her undergraduate and post-baccalaureate career, she worked as a research assistant to Dr. Tracey Holloway at the Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment (SAGE), where she explored solutions regarding air quality, climate, and public health. Matilyn also serves as the Program Coordinator for Science-A-Thon, an annual social media event that increases the visibility of science and creates opportunities for women and minorities in STEM. Matilyn was awarded the EAP Student Scholarship in 2020.

Nilanjan is an MS student in the Nelson Institute’s Environment and Resources program, under the guidance of Dr. Morgan Edwards. Previously, Nilanjan has worked across the oil, gas, and energy industry, helping develop planning and forecasting solutions across various verticals. He has also worked in the supply chain consulting domain where he has helped clients design and implement solutions around clean and renewable energy technologies. His interests include understanding the global energy transition scenario, how government and administrative bodies can influence early adoption of the transition, and the impact of such transitions on existing infrastructure.

Jennifer is a PhD student with the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department. Her research, supervised by Prof. Dominic Groß, relates to grid-forming control of power converters for reliable and stable integration of renewable energy into the bulk power system. Through a graduate minor in Energy Analysis and Policy, she strives to contribute to accessible and equitable energy solutions. On campus, Jennifer is also a Graduate Engineering Research Scholar (GERS) and on the student advisory board for the Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Funding. Before joining UW-Madison, she earned an honors degree in Engineering and Physics from Brown University, in which her thesis explored the optimization and design of solar photovoltaic energy systems. Jennifer was a recipient of the 2021 Wisconsin Distinguished Graduate Fellowship and the 2022 Energy Analysis and Policy Scholarship. Outside of the classroom, Jennifer enjoys knitting, walking, and cooking new recipes.

Erin Bulson is from Kansas City, Missouri. She attended Colorado Technical University (BS Business Administration) and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (MS Geosciences). Erin is currently pursuing a PhD in civil and environmental engineering at UW-Madison and with Dr. Andrea Hicks. Erin’s PhD research focuses on modeling environmental impacts associated with management of end-of-life material streams, including electric vehicles. She is proud to be part of the Energy Analysis and Policy community at UW-Madison.

Yulian Chen is currently pursuing the MS in Agricultural & Applied Economics together with the Energy Analysis and Policy certificate. She devotes her research efforts to the study of the intricate connections among the environment, agriculture, and policy, employing an economic analysis framework. She has researched into the carbon emission trading scheme facing the zero emission goals in China, as well as EV demand and policy in the US. Currently, she’s researching on the economics of fluctuating water levels in the Wisconsin Great Lakes.

Daritza is a PhD student in the Environment and Resources program at the Nelson Institute. She is interested in air quality, climate change, and health equity. Daritza hopes to help communities who are disproportionately impacted by air pollution and climate change. Daritza was awarded the EAP Student Scholarship in 2020.

Jake Erickson is a PhD student in the Environment and Resources program and Agricultural and Applied Economics program. His research investigates the distributional equity impacts of clean energy and decarbonization policies and technologies in the US and abroad. Prior to grad school, Jake worked in the energy analysis sector, consulting for major utilities in the US and conducting original research on energy access and development in Sub-Saharan Africa and the South Pacific. When not coding in R, Jake can be found running or biking the many trails of Madison, spending time in the garden, or re-watching Marvel movies with his partner and two cats.

Francie Fink is a first year MPA student in the La Follette School of Public Affairs who is interested in policy decisions informed by the transition to decarbonized economy. Her undergraduate research at the University of Notre Dame in aquatic ecology and the role of self-governing lake associations prompted an interest in regulation and the role of social-ecological systems in climate change mitigation. Her post-college experiences serving in AmeriCorps and later, consulting at a nonprofit in South Bend, Indiana, inspired her to pursue the technical education that the EAP program provides. Most notably, Francie recently led a project focusing on program design and implementation at the local government level for Inflation Reduction Act residential energy efficiency incentives. 

Michael Garcia is a Juris Doctorate student with UW-Madison’s law school, as well as pursuing an Electrical Engineering bachelor’s degree through the Engineering Partnership Program at UW-Platteville. He has spent the last decade working in the energy field, from nuclear reactor generation to transmission and distribution operations. He hopes to combine his prior practical experience with a greater understanding of larger policy through the Energy Analysis and Policy Program. He is interested in the potential equity, environmental, and legal issues surrounding more flexible energy policies in the United States and abroad.

Sam Garcia is first-year graduate student pursuing a Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering & Engineering Physics with a minor in Energy Analysis and Policy. His current research focuses on modeling multi-physics phenomena for nuclear micro-reactors to understand how to optimize for cost, safety, and performance. Sam received a BS in Nuclear Engineering from UW-Madison with a minor in pure mathematics in May 2021, where his research focused on developing testing methods for High-Entropy Alloys as an advanced nuclear material. With his current and previous experiences, Sam seeks to establish nuclear technology as a flexible energy source capable of being deployed in established, developing, or remote grid systems. In his free time he enjoys hiking, weightlifting and cooking for friends. Sam is a 2022 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow and was awarded the EAP Student Scholarship in 2021.

Jenna Greene is a MPA/EAP student at the La Follette School studying public affairs. She also works as a project assistant with Prof. Nemet on topics related to climate and energy policies. Jenna graduated from Carleton College in Northfield, MN, after which she spent time in Omaha, NE working in community engagement and Minneapolis, MN working with cities and counties on local-level solar policies and climate action planning. Jenna is particularly interested in the links between climate and energy policies with housing, transportation, and labor policies to alleviate societal disparities. Jenna was awarded the EAP Student Scholarship in 2020.

Sara Hartke is a graduate student in Civil and Environmental Engineering, where she is pursuing her master’s degree under the guidance of Nimish Pujara and Jennifer Franck (in the Engineering Physics department). She received her bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas at Dallas in May 2020 before starting at UW-Madison as a research assistant in Fall 2021. Sara has previously participated in research on designing a 6-DOF platform for a scaled wind turbine at UT-Dallas. She is interested in fluid dynamics and renewable energy, and her research focuses on exploring the effects of waves/turbulence on crossflow turbines in waterways. Sara was awarded the EAP Student Scholarship in 2021.

Xiyuan Hu is a Ph.D. student in the Population Health Sciences of UW-Madison. She is
interested in analyzing health issues via the perspective of the interaction of economics
and energy, especially the effects and implications of energy using on the status of
population health.

Ugochukwu Ikegwu is a graduate student (Ph.D.) in Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “No challenge poses a greater threat to future generations than climate change” and “at present, we are stealing the future and calling it GDP.” This captures the crux of his interest in the energy sector; analyzing and reengineering the energy infrastructures, developing new technologies, studying existing policies and the economics to aid efficient energy transition. He completed his B.Eng. degree in Chemical Engineering from Landmark University, Nigeria, in 2017, and his M.Sc. degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa, in 2021, both with distinctions. Upon his M.Sc. completion, his research birthed an energy consulting firm called Enviroenerg solutions in South Africa, where he served as a director and principal process engineer before joining UW-Madison. In his free time, he enjoys playing chess, soccer and having engaging conversations about humanity. He looks forward to the rewarding experience and knowledge to be gained from the EAP program.

Richard is a highly versatile technical and commercial personnel with 15 years working experience in Africa and US Land. He has at various times and roles overseen Strategic Sales and Account Management, Business Development, Operations and Marketing activities in Global businesses such as Schneider Electric, Emerson Process Management, Baker Hughes Incorporated, B.G. Technical Limited, and WorleyParsons Company. Richard holds a First-Class degree in Electrical Electronic Engineering from the University of Benin, Executive MBA from the Lagos Business School both in Nigeria and currently working towards the completion of a master’s degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, United States.

Owen is a second year MPA student at the La Follette School of Public Affairs. He graduated from UW-Madison with degrees in Political Science and Environmental Studies. He is pursuing the EAP certificate with hopes of eventually pursuing a career in environmental policy. Along with environmental policy, Owen is also interested in election and education policy. He has interned for several campaign finance organizations in Washington D.C. and is currently working for the university to improve and expand the undergraduate public policy program.

Elizabeth Jurado is an M.S. student in the Nelson Institute’s Environment & Resources program and is advised by Dr. Morgan Robertson. Elizabeth’s research interests center around the impacts of energy infrastructure on communities and the environment. Previously, she interned with the U.S. Department of Energy, where she was able to explore regulatory perspectives and compliance. Elizabeth received her B.S. in Ecology from the University of Georgia in 2021.

Anke is a Ph.D. student in the Nelson Institute Environment and Resources program. She is working with Paul Block, with main interests lying in water allocation and hydropower. Anke was awarded the EAP International Student Scholarship in 2018.

Unni is a first-year graduate student in the Chemical & Biological Engineering department at UW-Madison. After graduating with a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Rochester in 2018, he spent 18 months as a systems engineer outside of Boston, designing and installing control systems in the pharmaceutical industry. He has joined the EAP program out of a strong interest in combining his technical interests with a deeper understanding of the policy and economic considerations that make technological progress possible. In his free time, he enjoys playing basketball, exploring his local community, and sitting down for a discussion with anyone on politics. Unni was awarded the EAP Student Scholarship in 2020.

Dorothy Lsoto is a graduate student pursuing her Ph.D. in Environment and Resources at the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies. Prior to graduate school, Dorothy has been working in East Africa, Uganda on several renewable energy research projects like solar, biomass and biogas. She has also done a lot of work with air quality in institutions and schools using biogas versus firewood for cooking. She loves working with communities and introducing them to clean energies. Her main interests are renewable energy; currently she works with Prof. Jonathan Patz. Dorothy was awarded the EAP International Student Scholarship in 2018.

Ali Mammadov is from Azerbaijan and pursuing a Master of Public Affairs and an Energy Analysis and Policy graduate certificate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, with an impressive background. Having completed a bachelor’s degree with distinction diploma in Public Affairs at ADA University, Ali furthered his academic experience through Erasmus+ exchange studies in Latvia and Lithuania. His primary research area involves analyzing and integrating social welfare policies with the energy sector, displaying a passion for progressive and sustainable public policies.

Throughout his undergraduate years, Ali showcased exceptional leadership as the president of the “Speak for Youth” organization for three years, while also excelling as a research methodology and statistics tutor at ADA University. With enriching internships at the Embassy of Azerbaijan to Hungary, International Bank of Azerbaijan, AIESEC in Poland, and AIESEC in Turkiye, he has honed practical insights. Furthermore, his dedication to volunteerism, starting from the age of 15, includes active participation in major events such as UEFA Baku 2019, EURO 2020, Formula 1, Baku Islamic Games, and public and private sector organizations. Ali’s commitment to academic excellence is evident through two published research papers, a co-author journal, and a significant capstone project. Awarded numerous national and international grants, Ali strives to make a positive impact in society through transformative projects. Ready to bring his expertise and passion to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Ali is poised to leave a lasting and positive mark on the academic community and beyond.

Maitreyee is a graduate student in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department. She is advised by Prof. Giri Venkataramanan and is a student member of the Wisconsin Electric Machines and Power Electronics Consortium (WEMPEC). She completed her undergraduate studies in India, where she worked with grassroots organizations for rural electrification. Her graduate work is on microgrids and their applications to remote electrification and resilient energy solutions for home healthcare. Maitreyee was awarded the EAP Student Scholarship in 2021.

Katie is a graduate student in Nuclear Engineering & Engineering Physics and her research focuses on modeling the nuclear fuel cycle for nuclear nonproliferation. In her spare time, Katie is active in teaching nuclear science concepts to the general public.

Shirley Obih is a graduate student in Biological Systems Engineering: Natural Resources and Environmental Engineering path, simultaneously enrolled in Energy Analysis and Policy graduate level certificate program. She strongly believes her joint pursuit of higher level education in engineering and energy will equip her with skills needed to collaborate with industry professionals to explore the depths of renewable energy sources and create a healthier planet.

In her free time, Shirley enjoys drawing, sudoku and dancing, but writing forever remains her all time favorite pastime activity. She enjoys Wisława Szymborska’s poetry and hopes to imbibe her subtle but confident embodiment of wit, avant-garde and pseudo-simplicity.

Noah is a graduate student pursing a PhD in Electrical Engineering in the field of power systems.  His research focuses on integer-optimization planning problems for the power grid, including grid restoration planning and public safety wildfire shutoffs, in collaboration with Los Alamos National Laboratory.   Originally from Wisconsin, Noah also received his BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a certificate in Engineering for Energy Sustainability.

Gabriel Shapiro is a graduate student in the Department of Geography and the Nelson School for Environmental Studies. His research interests include planning, land use change and climate adaptation, with a focus on energy sovereignty. He grew up in upstate NY and received a bachelor’s degree from Ithaca College in Environmental Studies. When he isn’t studying the world, he loves to ski, run, and explore beautiful natural places. He was awarded an EAP student scholarship in 2023 and is honored to be a part of the Energy Analysis and Policy research hub at UW-Madison.

Jayant is a PhD student at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. He is part of the Anex lab at the Wisconsin Energy Institute and is working on developing a novel Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology. Particularly, he is designing a lab scale continuous prototype reactor to evaluate its techno–economic feasibility, before scaling up the design to a pilot scale. Through the EAP program, he wishes to learn relevant tools like life cycle assessment, cost–benefit analysis and develop an understanding of how legislations and regulations affect the implementation of DAC at scale. Before starting his PhD, Jayant completed his master’s degree in environmental engineering from University of Florida and brings in substantive experience as a research assistant from the National Institute of Advanced Studies, India.

Kyla (she/they) is an incoming master’s student in the Environment and Resources program. They describe themself as an Earth lover, community driven, and an interdisciplinary collaborator. She hopes to combine her lived experience with energy injustices along with her acquired knowledge from her studies to research equity implications of housing electrification. Outside of academics, Kyla loves to read romance and sci-fi novels, hang out with her two cats and partner, and spend time in nature, mainly to go birding and hiking. Kyla also engages in community projects on environmental and energy education as well as outreach for programs that save renters money on their energy bills.

Jing Ling Tan is a MIPA student at the La Follette School. He graduated from the dual B.A. program with Sciences Po Paris and the National University of Singapore, receiving a first in political science and social science. Jing Ling will be joining A/P Morgan Edwards’ team at the Climate Action Lab as a project assistant, where he will apply his interest in climate policy/politics. Jing Ling is grateful for the funding support from the Tan Ean Kiam Postgraduate Scholarship and the EAP Student Scholarship.

Sofia Taylor is currently a Research-MS student in Electrical Engineering. As a graduate research assistant, she develops synthetic grid test cases using realistic renewable energy data and geo-located wildfire data. Sofia received a BS in Electrical Engineering with a concentration in Renewable Electric Energy Systems and a minor in Environmental Science from North Carolina State University in May 2020. At the FREEDM Systems Center at NC State, Sofia contributed to the development of a wireless charging system for electric vehicles and co-authored a paper on the subject, which was accepted to APEC 2020. During a semester at University College Cork in Ireland, Sofia conducted research in wave energy converter simulation. Outside of school, Sofia volunteers for All We Are, a non-profit dedicated to increasing access to solar energy at schools and medical clinics in rural Uganda.

Zach is an MS student in the Nelson Institute’s Environment and Resources program. As a research assistant for Dr. Morgan Edwards, he will examine the effects of corporate venture capital on cleantech startup growth and its contribution to greenhouse gas emissions reduction. He began researching cleantech innovation at the Center for Global Sustainability at the University of Maryland after graduating in 2019 with a BS in Physics and a BA in Government and Politics. Zach is a 2021­­­­­­­­­­­–2022 Weston Distinguished Graduate Fellow and was awarded the EAP Student Scholarship in 2021.

Teja develops catalysts and processes for the sustainable production of fuels and valuable chemicals. She is the recipient of the Quad Fellowship in 2022 and is keen on a career in academia and being involved in positions of public service. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Chemical Engineering working with Prof Shannon Stahl at the University of Wisconsin- Madison. Previously, Teja was a Commonwealth Scholar reading for an MPhil in Chemistry at the University of Cambridge. She was the President of the Cambridge Zero Postgraduate Academy and led several sustainability initiatives on campus. She has gained varied research experiences having already worked at six different labs across the world. She also has prior experience in translating lab-scale research to industry from founding her start-up in waste treatment that won the UK India Social Innovation Challenge 2019. Teja is now looking to collaborate with policymakers and industry partners on high-impact ventures in energy and sustainability.

Javiera is a first-year graduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, pursuing a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Energy Analysis and Policy. Her research centers on applying optimization techniques to develop decision-making tools to promote the energy transition. Before embarking on her Ph.D. journey, Javiera earned her B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Chile in 2022. While there, she focused on designing and evaluating renewable energy systems within the mining sector, showcasing her commitment to addressing critical energy and environmental challenges. Following her graduate studies, Javiera gained practical experience as an energy consultant, advising financial institutions on financing renewable energy projects in South America. Beyond her academic and professional pursuits, she enjoys cooking, outdoor activities, and cross-stitching. She looks forward to learning in an interdisciplinary environment and gaining experience with real-world projects through the EAP program.

My name is Xinran Wu, a graduate student in the Environment & Resources program of Nelson Institute. The research that I am doing is about the multi-pollutant emissions reduction strategies and the potential impacts on carbon reduction, specifically in energy and transportation sector. I am so glad to join the EAP community and receive the expertise from prestigious EAP faculty members. I really learned a lot from both energy and policy perspective. I would love to share this exciting program with more prospective students!

Andrew Zaiser is a first year MIPA and EAP Certificate student at the La Folle’e School of Public Affairs. Originally from Glen Gardner, New Jersey, he graduated from Kenyon College in 2020, where he double majored in International Studies and Spanish. After graduation, Andrew moved to San Francisco, where he worked as a Conflicts Research Assistant at Covington & Burling, a multinational law firm. His policy interests include development policy in Latin America, energy and natural resource policy, and the ways in which the intersection between the private and public sectors can drive sustainable economic growth and development. Andrew was awarded the EAP Student Scholarship in 2022.

Luyi Zeng is currently pursuing the Environment & Resource PhD at UW-Madison. Her research interests center on studying interactions between environment, agriculture, and policy within the Economics analysis framework, mainly how agricultural systems respond to energy policies, regulations, and climate crises. Her current work focus on the estimates of agricultural land use change attributable to biofuel policies in the U.S. She is also working on examining agricultural adaptations to climate crisis through the lens of cross-border trade of agricultural products. In her spare time, she likes hiking, exploring stunning landscapes and amazing wildlife.